This invention relates to an IC card such as one used as a game-program card and, more particularly, to the high-density packaging of electronic parts therein.
The type of IC card that is used for TV games software or as a memory card for use in a computer system has a structure such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in plan and in section. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a package 1 accommodates a semiconductor device 1a having a circuit board 5 and electronic parts 6 mounted thereon, and is constituted by a frame 2 which forms side peripheral portions of the package, and upper and lower covers 3 and 4 which are attached to upper and lower sides of the frame 2 to close the package. The frame 2 and the covers 3 and 4 are made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin, or the upper and lower covers 3 and 4 may be metallic covers having surfaces coated with an insulating material. Electronic parts 6 including semiconductor elements and electric circuit parts are mounted on the lower surface of the circuit board 5 provided with printed wiring (not shown). A multiplicity of electrode terminals 7 are directly disposed on the upper surface of a front portion of the circuit board 5. The circuit board 5 is accommodated in the package 1.
Thus, the electrode terminals 7 are directly disposed on the upper surface of the circuit board 5 while the electronic parts 6 are mounted on the lower surface of the circuit board, and, correspondingly, the circuit board 5 is disposed close to the upper cover 3 so that the electrode terminals 7 are exposed to the outside of the package 1.
In the above-described conventional IC card, the electronic parts can be mounted on the lower surface of the circuit board 5 alone and, therefore, it is not possible to increase packing density.